Reading, writing and drawing stand



April 3, 1962 G. E. NORVELL READING, WRITING AND DRAWING STAND Filed May 13, 1959 George 6'. IVOI'V!// INVENTOR.

BY F 52-27%,

United States Patent i 3,027,679 READING, WRITING AND DRAWING STAND George E. Norvell, 2601 Horatio St., Tampa, Fla. Filed May 13, 1959, Ser. No. 814,132 5 Claims. (Cl. 45-81) This invention relates to a simple, novel and improved adjustable stand or easel for the support of writing, reading and drawing material in selective angular positions appropriate to a wide variety of circumstances. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a rugged, durable and inexpensive stand of the type referred to which may be folded, when not in use, into a flat compact arrangement convenient for transportation and/or storage.

It is, of course, recognized that numerous attempts have been made to provide adjustable stands and easels for the support of reading, writing and drawing materials. However, many such devices have failed to achieve commercial success through their failure to combine several prerequisite characteristics in a single instrumentality. For instance, simplicity of construction, by which the economy of manufacture may be achieved, is essential to widespread public acceptance of such devices. For the sake of convenience and portability, a lightness of weight is desirable and for storage and transportation it is mandatory that the device may be readily compacted into a plain, fiat unit. It is also desirable that the device be universal in its utility whereby it may be readily adapted for the support of material at various desired angularities and in various spaced relations from the supporting surface of the stand.

Thus, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved stand which combines in one instrumentality the requisite characteristics hereinabove set forth. More specifically, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide a simple, novel and improved stand for the support of reading, writing and drawing material which provides angular adjustment with minimum mechanical complications, may support material in a plurality of spaced relation from the surface upon which the stand is mounted, which is foldable to a fiat compact arrangement for transportation and storage, which is durable, light in weight and well designed to meet the demands of economic manufacture. Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the present construction will be apparent from the considera tion of the following specifications, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In general terms, that form of the invention here shown, by way of illustration, may be broadly defined as including a base, preferably in the form of a light, open, rectangular frame, from the base there is pivotly mounted the easel or back rest, also preferably formed of light open configuration. As here shown, the back rest is provided with resiliently urged pawls which selectively engage the ratchet teeth for securing the back rest in selected angular position with respect to the base and permitting disengagement of the pawl to permit a parallel position of the back rest against the base to compact the structure for transportation or storage. A further feature of the present invention is the provision of projecting hinge clips on the sides of the back rest which may receive a removable work holding platen adapted to extend from the pivotal plane of the back rest upwardly beyond the back rest. The clips further provide for the pivotal mounting of clip brackets adapted to be folded inwardly to engage the front face of the platten, securing it in operative position on the back rest. The clip brackets, in extended position, are also adapted to support a removable book shelf member for use in lieu of the platen.

3,027,679 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of the left hand end of the stand, showing the book shelf in position.

FIG. 2 is a similar fragmentary view of the right hand end of the stand with the platen in position.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation showing the platen in position.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the book shelf in position.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary corner view of the book shelf, and

FIG. 6 is a similar fragmentary corner view of the platen.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the base here shown as a generally open rectangular frame, preferably of lightweight wood, plastic or metal. The ends and sides are preferably formed as an integral construction or by permanently uniting the corners in any manner desired. The cross sectional configuration of side and end portions is preferably rectangular. The back rest is designated by the numeral 2 and is, like the base, preferably formed as an open framework of pieces generally rectangular in cross section. The extension of the back rest from its pivotal connection hereinafter described is such that the upper back piece will lie outwardly adjacent the rear edge of the support when the back rest is folded parallel thereto.

For supporting a book, writing or drawing material from a position intermediate the ends of the side rails of the back rest, a book shelf 3 is provided, notched at its inner corners as indicated in FIGURE 5 to be received in a plane normal to the plane of the back rest with the notches receiving the side rails of the back rest.

The lower ends of the side rails of the back rest are pivotally secured to vertically extending ratchet members 4 carried by the side rails of the base adjacent the front edge of the base. The arrangement is such as to support the platen indicated by the numeral 5 with its lower edge, provided with an outwardly extending supporting lip, in front of the ratchets 4 and between pivotally mounted pawls 6. The back rest is pivotally secured through the ratchets 4 by pivot rivets 7. For retaining the platen 5 securely against the back rest, pivotal brackets 8 are mounted upon hinge clips 9 which extend forwardly from the side rails of the back rest adjacent and below the lower crossbar thereof. Pivot rivets 7 are provided for the brackets 8, extending through the hinge clips 9. As indicated in FIGURE 3, a spring 10 is provided, one end of which engages the lower furcated portion of the side arms of the back rest while the other end engages the pawl to normally urge the pawl in contact with the teeth of the ratchet whereby the back rest is retained in selected angular position with respect to the base 1.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple, compact, lightweight, and readily adjusted stand. With brackets 8 in their extended position, their upper surface being in a plane normal to the plane of the back rest, the book shelf 3 may have its notched inner end positioned between the side rails of the back rest and be supported on the upper faces of the brackets. The proximity of the bracket pivotal position slightly below the lower crossbar of the rack rest provides for engagement of the upper face of the inner portion of the book shelf against the lower face of the lower crossbar to assist in precluding a tilting movement of the book shelf when a load is applied thereto.

When it is desired to use the platen in lieu of the book shelf, the same may be inserted between the brackets to be supported by the hinge clips while the brackets are in outwardly extended position. After positioning of the platen in the manner indicated in FIGURE 3, the brackets may be pivoted inwardly to the position shown to retain the platen in position on the back rest. It will, of course, be understood that the pawls may be manually moved against a tension of the spring to release them from the ra'tchets, permitting the back rest to be moved to various adjusted angular positions and to permit the back rest to be disengaged from the ratchet to lay over the base in contact therewith and parallel thereto for transportation, shipment and storage.

While the invention is not limited nor confined to specific materials, it will be noted that the simplicity of structure readily lends itself to manufacture from plastic or thin, lightweight metal or wood sections. Thus, the invention readily lends itself to economic manufacture without sacrifice of durability, rigidity and long life of utility. It will be understood that in the practice of the invention numerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to without departure from the spirit or scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In' a stand of the character set forth, a back rest, a plurality of selectively applicable material supports for said back rest and means on said back rest for supporting a selected material support and retaining said selected support in position on said back rest, said means including hinge clips extending from said back rest in planes normal to the general plane of the back rest and of the material support when in operative position.

2. In a stand of the character set forth, a back rest, a a plurality of selectively applicable material supports for said back rest and means on said back rest for supporting a selected material support and retaining said selected support in position on said back rest, said means including hinge clips extending from said back rest in planes normal to the general plane of the back rest and of the material support when in operative position, to-

4 gethr with brackets pivotally mounted on said hinge clips for engagement with and retention of a selected material support.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 in which the brackets are movable to a position extending normal to the plane of said back rest to maintain a material support in said normal plane and in which said brackets are movable to a plane parallel with said back rest to retain a material support parallel with the plane of said back rest.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 2 including a base fo'r said back rest, ratchet members on said base, pivotal connections between said ratchet members and said back rest and releasable pawls carried by said back rest for engaging said ratchet members.

5. A reading, writing and drawing stand including a generally rectangular open base, ratchet members extending perpendicularly from said base, a generally open back rest including angular crossrails, means pivotally mounting said back rest from said ratchet members, spring urged pawls carried by said back rest releasably engaging said ratchet members, said means pivotally connecting said back rest with said base being constructed and arranged to permit said back rest to lie over and parallel with said base upon release of said pawls from said ratchet members, a plurality of selectively applicable material supports for said back rest and pivotal means on said back rest for supporting and retaining a selected material support in operative position on said back rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 456,089 Harrison July 14, 1891 1,121,713 Cogger Dec. 22, 1914 1,529,022 Fraser Mar. 10, 1925 1,766,616 Faris June 24, 1930 2,662,333 Bargen Dec. 15, 1953 

